Van Arty Association and RUSI Van Members News Feb 18, 2020

Newsletters normally are emailed on Monday evenings. If you don’t get a future newsletter on time, check the websites below to see if there is a notice about the current newsletter or to see if the current edition is posted there. If the newsletter is posted, please contact me at [email protected] to let me know you didn’t get your copy.

Newsletter on line. This newsletter and previous editions are available on the Vancouver Artillery Association website at: www.vancouvergunners.ca and the RUSI Vancouver website at: http://www.rusivancouver.ca/newsletter.html . Both groups are also on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=vancouver%20artillery%20association and https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=rusi%20vancouver

Wednesday Lunches - We need your support to keep the lunches going. Hope all you regular attendees can keep coming. The Mess serves a great 5 course buffet meal for only $20. Guests are always welcome, and we encourage members to bring their significant others and friends. Dress - Jacket and tie, equivalent for Ladies. For serving personnel, uniform of the day is always acceptable at lunch.

Upcoming events – Mark your calendars See attached posters for details.

Feb 22 Homes for Heroes fundraiser Gala – HMCS Discovery Feb 26 NOABC Luncheon Speaker - Capt Don Chapman – 737 Max Mar 6 78FH & 15 Fd Whiskey Tasting

World War 2 – 1945 John Thompson Strategic analyst - quotes from his book “Spirit Over Steel”

Feb 19th: 4th and 5th Marine Divisions begin landing on Iwo Jima and 30,000 men quickly find that Kuribayashi’s 22,000 Japanese have prepared an elaborate maze of fortifications and this fight is going to be the toughest yet. In the Philippines, a series of landings is made on Samar, Dilupari, Capul and Biri. One of the ghastlier incidents in a foul war: About 1,000 Japanese troops retreat through 16 kilometres of mangrove swamp on Ramree Island off Burma… as they go, hundreds of them fall victims to the large Saltwater Crocodiles than infest the area over the next three nights. Corporal Tony Stein of the 5th Marine Division is among the first to land on Iwo Jima and feel the full teeth of its carefully prepared defences. Using a salvaged aircraft machinegun adapted by his own hands, he uses it to assail pillbox after pillbox, killing some 20 of the enemy. Eight times he returns to the beach to acquire more ammunition (carrying a wounded man each time). Through the whole of this terrible day, his courage and leadership have been exemplary. He receives the Medal of Honor for this day’s work, but it is a posthumous award as he is killed in action on Iwo Jima on March 1st. 1

Feb 20th: Himmler, as commander of Army Group Vistula, is doing a poor job as the Soviets roll northwards into Pomerania on a 200km wide front. XX Corps of US 3rd Army conducts further attacks into the “Saar-Moselle Triangle”. Every step on Iwo Jima is covered by interlocked fields of fire from carefully sited Japanese weapons, but the first of the Island’s airfields is captured today and the Marines from the 5th Division close up to the base of Mount Suribachi. The Oak Ridge facility in Tennessee has made enough U-235 to assemble the world’s first nuclear weapon.

Feb 21st: Kamikazes make their contribution to the defence of Iwo Jima and the escort carrier Bismarck Sea is sunk and the fleet carrier Saratoga (among others) is damaged; the fighting on the Island is leading to soaring casualties. In Burma, 17th Indian Division races towards Meiktila, while 2nd British joins 20th Indian Divs over the Irrawaddy to the North. In the Rhineland, Goch falls to the 51st Division of XXX Corps. In the Philippines, Bataan is clear but fighting continues on Corregidor and is just as ferocious in Manila. Gruppenkommandeur Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer is Germany’s leading night-fighter pilot and already has the Knights Cross with Swords, Diamonds and Oak Leaves. In the early hours of this morning, he downs two British bombers with his Me-110G; and this evening he downs seven more. By the time the war is over, he has killed 114 RAF bombers.

Essential Reading: George Macdonald Fraser is best known to the world for his novels (particularly the Flashman series) and screenplays; but he was a private soldier in a British regiment in the 17th Indian Division in 1945. His recollection ‘Quartered Safe Out Here’ – written almost 50 years later – of the fighting around Meiktila and the later drive south are from that humble perspective. He doesn’t remember much of the grand tactics but his depictions of combat and the men he soldiered with are superb. This is one of the best memoirs ever written by a private soldier. eBook available at the Apple bookstore for $11.99

Feb 22nd: US XX Corps has done a solid job clearing the Saar-Moselle triangle. Elements of 5th Army make gains in the Reno valley in Italy. Some 6,000 British commandos land on Kangaw off Burma.

Feb 23rd: After years of sitting on the fence, Turkey declares war on Germany and Japan. Poznan falls to Soviet troops. Mount Suribachi is taken by the Marines on Iwo Jima, and Old Glory is hoisted; but two thirds of the Island is still in Japanese hands. The old Intramuros centre of Manila is still in Japanese hands and the fighting for the city remains ferocious with many civilian deaths. German aircraft sink their last Allied ship of the War off Norway. 1st and 9th US Divisions stage an excellent assault river crossing over the now less than flooded Roer and enter into the Rhineland campaign. On Iwo Jima the Japanese had planned their defensive networks with meticulous care to ensure every angle was covered by fire and take a heavy toll from the US Marines. But Corporal Hershel Woodrow Williams reacts to one defensive belt by spending four hours under intense machinegun fire crawling from Japanese bunker to bunker with demolition charges and flamethrowers; single-handedly opening a lane in a network of interconnected bunkers and mines to let his comrades start cleaning it out. His fighting spirit and devotion win him the Medal of Honor. 2

Feb 24th: The second airfield in Iwo Jima is taken while the 3rd Marine Division comes ashore. Julich is taken by elements of 9th US Army while the British and Canadians attack toward Udem and Weeze. Taungtha is taken as 17th Indian closes in on Meiktila. The Japanese can be cool customers when lurking in the defence and Staff Sergeant Raymond H Cooley of the 25th US Division on Luzon is under no illusions about the difficulties in attacking well prepared Japanese positions. When two concealed machineguns open up on his platoon, he leaves his men under cover and works up to one, dispatching it with a grenade. He is joined by one squad of his platoon as they cluster together to dispose of the second gun. He had pulled the pin of a second grenade when six Japanese erupted around him; he had no time to throw the grenade or drop it without risking his men as the melee began around him. So, he smothered the grenade with his body and so died. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Feb 25th: Iwo Jima’s thickest defences are being encountered on the high ground beyond the second airfield. The Germans mount a counterattack near Stettin which achieves much locally and means nothing generally. Duren is taken by VII Corps of US 1st Army, while 3rd Army makes more attacks near Saarburg. TF 58 goes back to thump airfields near Tokyo again.

15 Fd Regimental Centennial Party

Former and current serving members gathered for this photo. A copy should be posted on the Vancouver Gunners’ website soon so a copy can be downloaded and enlarged to get a better view. Photo Pte Daniel Pereira /39 CBG Public Affairs To view a larger picture and help id those in the picture, go to:- https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/birthday-party-2020.html

The Regiment celebrated its 100th birthday on Jan 31/Feb 1. The event started on Friday afternoon with a display of Museum equipment on the parade square and in the Museum, the Association set up a big display of photographs from the Regiment’s past and a table of

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memorabilia items in the upstairs lecture rooms. In the evening a large crowd gathered for a ‘meet and greet’ and a tour through the Messes.

The Birthday cake

On Saturday afternoon the Regiment set up a display of current artillery equipment to show attendees how things are done today, along with the Museum and Association displays. In the evening the main event started with over 300 in attendance. Attendees were provided with a meal from food vendor trucks in the compound and were entertained by a dance band with appearances by the Regimental Band. Late in the evening the birthday cake was cut and all got a slice. Pictures were taken of all former and current serving members of the Regiment. There were also some winners in the crowd. MWO Heath Porritt was the successful winner of the first Regimental Bear and there is still an outstanding ticket for the second. That number ends in 957. Contact [email protected] if you hold that ticket! The 50/50 prize was won by Sgt JKS Cormier, the Regiment’s Fin Clerk. A great time was had by all and a very successful event.

Sgt JKS Cormier receives the 50/50 payout from HLCol Don Foster

New ‘Monuments Men’ Will Protect Treasures in Combat Zones George Winston Dec 9, 2019

The US Military is in the process of reincarnating the famous World War II expert brigade, dubbed The Monuments Men, in the 2014 movie of the same name. The screenplay for the film was based on the book “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History” by Robert M Edsel and Bret Witter. They described the group of soldiers who had the responsibility of rescuing the artistic and cultural heritage of Europe from being ravaged by the Nazis. Now, the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative alongside the Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) and the Army Civil Affairs will work together to recruit suitably qualified personnel within the Army Reserve that have skills in the preservation of cultural heritage. The group of men and women selected for this task will assist Army commanders in dealing with the complex challenges of a cultural nature that they face in combat situations. These new specialists in the Army reserve will help commanders that are involved in military combat action from becoming tangled up in civilian conflict caused by the complexities surrounding cultural heritage. 4

A preservation officer of cultural heritage, Col Scott DeJesse, from USACAPOC(A), told Military.com, that the significant difference between the modern-day Monuments Men compared to their World War II compatriots was that the modern specialists had to meet the protection requirements laid down in the Hague Convention of 1954. In addition to their cultural protection responsibilities, they would also have to advise staff officers who would, in turn, guide battlefield commanders on the cultural landscape within which they were fighting. Culture and heritage are not passive components of any warzone; they are active agents that are often the driving force behind the conflict. These are the components that many battlefield commanders need to be enlightened about and need guidance on when dealing with the war zone. The US military admitted that these are issues that the military has struggled to come to terms with, in modern conflicts. The Army had sent teams of specialist teams into Baghdad when the museum and other valuable artifacts were under threat. This was almost an afterthought as usually efforts to stabilize the environment focused on the tangible benefits of schools, clinics, and utilities. DeJesse emphasized that many times, the on-going conflict is a result of cultural differences. If you wanted to stop the combatants from shooting at each other, then this had to be understood. Too often, culture is not something that unites people but rather is used to divide them.

A US soldier from the 1st Div, 2nd Bge, Texas, strolls the corridor during a visit to the Iraq Museum, 10 Sept 2003 in Bagdad. The museum, robbed and vandalized during the US-led invasion of Iraq, plans to reopen a part of its facility in one month. Some 2,000 items have been recovered out of the 15,000 which were removed amid the conflict. THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images

The issues surrounding cultural differences had been overlooked in the past, and the Pentagon was not equipped to try and measure these intangible issues. How to measure the performance of the military against invisible matters when they were trying to establish peace in combat zones had been largely ignored in favor of counting the tangible benefits brought to an area. An excellent example of how these intangible affect commanders in the field happened close to home in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017. A Confederate monument was to be removed from a Charlottesville Park when violence erupted between a white-supremacist group and protesters opposed to them. Military commanders need to be made aware of this type of flashpoint issue and how to deal with it. They need to understand how these cultural issues can be used as political tools, as happened in the Charlottesville incident. One group wanted the monument to remain while another wanted it gone as their family were slaves, and their culture

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suppressed. At an individual level, there is a myriad of reasons because heritage is so personal and influenced by national or regional identity as well as community and family ideology.

The new Monuments Men teams would be able to guide the field commanders that the violence is not about an object on its own, but about the heritage or culture surrounding the object. Two groups of people are using the same object to try and divide the community, so when dealing with either party, the commander must understand the cultural ramifications of the objects in question, so they do not get caught in untenable situations. The first step to building these new teams is to find people with the right skills and talent to train. During March, they will receive training on many aspects of cultural heritage and preservation at the Smithsonian. The museum staff will guide them in the correct manner to handle rare and precious artifacts and how to assess and pack museum exhibits safely. The last word came from Col DeJesse, who said that when conflict breaks out, each side in the conflict targets the tangible, and they use the intangible components of those objects to divide the people. This is where the new teams of experts will step in and guide commanders to ensure resolution is reached more quickly and that they are made aware of the unseen forces driving the conflict.

Poland’s WW2 $5bn of Gold Returned in Top-Secret Mission War History online Dec 5, 2019 George Winston

Credit: www.g4s.com

Poland was given back approximately 100 tons of gold from three nations — the UK, Canada and America — that had been holding the bars since the Second World War. Poland’s geography put it in a terrible situation when Adolph Hitler turned his aggression toward the countries he believed had wronged Germany after the First World War. Because Poland is centred smack dab in the middle of Europe and it borders on Germany, it became instantly vulnerable when Hitler marshaled troupes to invade and occupy territories in Europe.

His first target was Poland, and before citizens really knew what was happening, their country was no longer theirs, but occupied by the foreign dictator. Although the Allies did not react initially, hoping that Hitler would be satisfied with taking Poland by force, they also knew that the man at the helm of the Nazi party was likely to strip the land bare of all its wealth. The Allies’ instincts were correct on that score, but on November 22nd, in the dead of night, a historic wrong was finally righted. The operation came off without a hitch, authorities said, but 6

it sounds like it took the intricate plotting of a John Le Carre spy novel to ensure the gold’s safe return. The only element missing was James Bond himself. The gold bars are said to be worth about five billion (USD). It arrived in Poland in three separate, bullet-proof trucks, and was taken to the Narodowy Bank Polski, where it was promptly stored in vaults. Completing the task, getting the gold from the plane to the trucks to the bank, took eight separate trips. Once the transfer was finished and officials were able to speak about it to the media, authorities assured everyone that the operation had gone very smoothly, with no glitches whatsoever. The company that handled the deal was G4S Cash Solutions UK. Its director, John Lennox, told Sky News that, “given the sensitivity of this operation, we needed to be prepared for anything. Plans can change at short notice. Having a strong team, flexible and professional drivers, and making sure everyone was regularly updated meant the operation was a complete success.”

Credit: www.g4s.com

The gold was taken out of Poland in the midst of the war, and safely stored in London, New York, and Ottawa. Its repatriation has been decades coming, and all concerned are delighted that the bars are at long last back where they belong. Describing the operation to the media, Lennox said, “the movements of the gold were meticulously planned in co-ordination with everyone, including the police, the Bank of England, (and) the Narodowy Bank Polski.” A spokesman for G4S Cash Solutions called the repatriation a “historic day in the gold industry.” Each and every bar is stamped and has a serial number that authenticates its origins. Poland’s officials are, needless to say, thrilled that the gold is back where it belongs. In fact, the government plans to issue a special coin to citizens, to mark the historic occasion. It is a day surely worth noting in modern Polish history. The war took a huge toll on the people and estimates for the many who died during the conflict reach six million. According to a story by the BBC in August of this year, Poland’s citizens suffered enormously when Hitler began his attacks; a town of no military consequence, Wielun, was bombed on September 1, 1939. It succeeded, and the war ensued from there. But November 22, 2019 was not a day to reflect on the war’s destruction. It was a day of celebration in Poland, now that the nation has seen returned what has been rightfully its own for many, many decades.

Vancouver Artillery Association Yearbook Updates

Sadly, we’ve added a few more names to our list of fallen. Lieutenant Richard Langford Smith and Major Temple William Faber Macdonald, both from the 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Garrison Artillery

Lest we forget. https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/the-fallen.html

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More pictures added to the Centennial Birthday party page https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/birthday-party-2020.html

There was also Captain Benson Lum’s Departure with Dignity https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/benson-lum-dwd.html

Visiting Japanese naval vessels https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/1994.html

We’re still looking for names from that band photo in 1991 https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/band-tour-1991.html

News stories from 1955 from both regiments: https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/1955---43rd-haa-regt-rca.html https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/1955---15th-fd-regt-rca.html

Also looking for names of the officers in the 1954 group photo: https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/1954---15th-fd-regt-rca.html

Group photos and Wedding photos from 1939 https://www.vancouvergunners.ca/1939---15th-vcr-coast-bde-rca-casf.html

Keep those stories, names, calendar events and pictures coming! [email protected]

Who (or What) Is It?

Last Week: 1936 Vickers Carden Loyd Utility Tractor with Vickers-Berthier LMG mounted. They were used to tow trailers and light guns. Unfortunately, there is little information available on this vehicle. The Canadian Army experimented with them in the 1930s but they had been replaced by the Universal Carrier by the time WW2 began. The Vickers-Berthier was a British light machine gun design originally introduced by a Frenchman, Adolphe Berthier, passed on by the Americans and adopted into service with the Indian Army. The type became the standard light machine gun of British India during the inter-war years and played a major role in the upcoming World War 2. The weapon served from 1925 into 1945, seeing production in both England and India. Extremely rare today, these filled the void in British LMGs between the WW1 Lewis Gun and the WW2 Bren Gun.

This Week: We continue our tracked theme this week but go from light weight to heavy weight. This one weighs about 100 times last week’s vehicle and is every schoolboy’s idea of what a tank should look like (schoolgirls being more sensible and rational in their thoughts). It 8

has big tracks, a big gun, and lots of armour. However, there are a few oddities here. The tracks seem to come from another age, not at all congruent with the size of the turret and gun. Indeed, they appear to be pre- Second World War, almost Great War in their design and placement. However, pre- War tanks had tiny turrets, suitable for only one or two people in most cases. This limited the size of any ordnance mounted to stubby items, such as 2 pounders. The most ludicrous example of this must be the British Matilda I, which didn’t look a bit like the more famous Matilda II of Western Desert fame. It looked like an armoured frog, and was about as fast as the fellow amphibian, the turtle (but with less armour). In order to make up for the deficiency of firepower, and tiny turrets, some tanks resorted to multiple turrets, such as with the British Independent, and the Soviet T-35.

So, given all that, this can’t be a pre-War tank. We therefore come to the question of the week. What is this mighty armoured fighting vehicle? Who used it, and what was unusual about both its design and development? Send your educated musings to the editor, Bob Mugford ([email protected]), or the author, John Redmond ([email protected]). Keep the Steel Cavalry rolling!

From the ‘Punitentary’

What tea do hockey players drink? Penaltea!

Murphy’s Other Laws

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire

Quotable Quotes

It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go. - Jim Rohn

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Homes for Heroes Fundraiser Gala

Eventbrite email Invitation for February 22, 2020 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/unsung-heroes-gala-2020-tickets-85323554047

Please join RAdm, Bob Auchterlonie, OMM, CD Commander, Maritime Forces Pacific, at HMCS Discovery at 1830 hours on February 22, 2020 for a formal evening fundraiser gala to raise money for homeless Canadian Veterans here in British Columbia.

Hosted by: The Order of St George Venue: HMCS Discovery, Stanley Park, British Columbia

Tickets: $175.00 (Official Tax receipt after costs will be issued)

Funds to benefit the Homes for Heroes Foundation to build tiny homes for homeless Veterans in British Columbia.

Bring current, valid photo ID and invitation to be allowed onto the base.

Eventbrite tickets are available for purchase now.

Click on link… https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/unsung-heroes-gala-2020-tickets-85323554047

About this Event:

Unsung Heroes First Annual Gala

The Order of St George is hosting the first annual fund-raising event for Homes celebrating the unsung heroes of British Columbia. The first annual event, scheduled for 22 February 2020 at HMCS Discovery, from 1830-2300 will celebrate Commander Angus Hetherington Rankin, for whom the NLCC Captain Rankin is named. The event will be hosted by Cascadia Command at HMCS Discovery in Stanley Park.

Our guest speaker this year is Rear Admiral Bob Auchterlonie, OMM, CD Commander of Canada's Maritime Forces Pacific.

The Youth Chinese Ballet dancers from the Hongjie Dance Academy will perform for your entertainment. They are exquisite and professional dancers and visually stunning in costume and choreography.

Every year we will invite you to help us raise money for housing for Homeless Veterans while celebrating a different unsung hero from British Columbia, present or past.

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The Naval Officers’ Association of British Columbia Founded 1919

Luncheon Speaker’s Series organized by NOABC

Wednesday, February 26, 2020 1130 am for lunch at 12:00noon - Speaker at 1pm. Officers Mess Bessborough Armoury 2025 West 11th Ave. Vancouver, BC.

Aviation Safety and the Boeing 737 Max Captain Don Chapman, Recently Retired United Airline Pilot

Fixing the 737 MAX and getting it back in the air is crucial for Boeing. But it’s not the only major challenge facing the embattled aircraft maker. Boeing also needs to focus on its next generation of passenger planes. Boeing has made its efforts clear as it works on getting the 737 MAX approved to fly which is expected to happen by the middle of this year. How will the eventual FAA approval be received by air passengers? Will potential customers shun this aircraft due to its safety record? What has led to the failings of Boeing and the FAA to come to this? Captain Don Chapman will share some of his thoughts on the 737 MAX Saga.

Speaker’s biography Flying is his passion and Captain Don Chapman is also the founder of the “Lost Canadian Organization” (www.lostcanadian.com) that has helped thousands of “lost Canadians” regain their Canadian citizenship. However, he will speak to us not on the “Lost Canadians” (as that will be a future topic at another lunch) but on aviation safety today. Prior to founding the Lost Canadian organization Don was flying full-time as an airline pilot and a strong advocate for aviation safety. He has testified before the US Congress when at that time his life was being threatened for speaking out. Don is very passionate about air flight safety and was a source for the CBC on their story regarding aviation safety. Over twelve years ago he took a leave of absence from flying as a commercial pilot for United Airline and devoted full-time not for personal gains but to serve and help others. As FAA rules all commercial pilots must retire by the age of 65, he reluctantly halted his community service a year and a half ago and re-certified himself with United and flew in 2019 in control and captain of his aircraft. He retired last fall.

Don has volunteered his services at several schools, lecturing from the University of Toronto Dental school talking about finances to being invited to address the law schools at the University of New Brunswick and at UVIC. He also has spoken at many, many US and Canadian Universities, including dozens of service organizations from the Rotary and Lions, to the Vancouver Club and Military organizations.

If you plan to attend the lunch and presentation, please respond to David Reece by Sunday, February 23, 2020

At either [email protected] or call/text at 778-227-8203 so that he can advise the caterer. 11

15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA & The 78th Fraser’s Highlanders

Annual 2020 Fund Raiser and Whisky Tasting Night

The 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA and the 78th Fraser’s Highlanders invite you, and any like- minded guests of your acquaintance, to attend our annual fund raising and whisky tasting event at the historic Bessborough Armoury. There will be food, draw prizes, music, and there will be whisky! For the Full ‘Whisky Fleet’, Tickets are $55.00 per person by Credit Card, Cheque, or by exact change, otherwise your $60 in bills will be gratefully accepted towards our good cause. Bernard who will be relieving you of your burden of carrying cash will meet you at the front door and will be most appreciative. For those who are driving or prefer the options from the No-Host bar, you pay a meager $25.00.

Only 50 tickets will be sold for the full whisky fleet! Bring guests!

Dress is business casual. Kilts and highland dress, of course, are most welcome.

DATE: Friday – March 6th, 2020 TIME: 1800 hrs – 2300 hrs 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA LOCATION: 2025 West 11th Ave Vancouver, BC V6J 2C7

DO NOT MISS OUT! TO RESERVE YOUR TICKET CONTACT:

Major James Barrett Cell: (604) 916-1766 E-Mail: [email protected]

All profits raised by the event will be equally shared between the 15th Field Regimental Society and the 78th Fraser Highlanders Fort Fraser Garrison in support of their activities.

Tax receipts will be issued for all donations upon request.

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VIA Rail Savings to CAF Veterans and DND Civilian Personnel VIA Rail offers savings on train travel in Canada to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, veterans, and National Defence Civilian Personnel: 25% discount on the best available adult, senior, student, youth and child fares in all classes & all trains for qualifying DND/CAF members and immediate family.

How to Book:- Use the discount code “12070” when booking your train travel. To book online: http://www.viarail.ca/en/canadian-forces When booking by telephone or at a VIA station advise the VIA agent that you wish the military discount prior to the agent booking your travel.

What identification do I require? The offer is valid for any passenger 18 years of age or older who has at least one of the following forms of identification plus one additional piece of photo identification: • CAF Identification Card (NDI 20) • Record of Service Card (NDI 75) • Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Benefit Card • Discharge Certificate from any branch of the CAF • Statement of Service from any branch of the CAF • Valid DND Temporary ID card (NDI 10) • Civilian employees must present their DND ID card and CFOne card • CAF member or veteran CFOne card (with photo ID)

More information - For more information visit the VIA Rail website.

CARRY-ON BAGGAGE Active and veteran members of Canadian Forces. Civilian employees • Retired and current Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are entitled to extra baggage allowance. This exemption does not extend to family members of the Military. • Applicable to personal travel or as part of a military assignment. • Members must present a military identification card.

Carry-On Baggage Allowance: • No fee for regular baggage exceeding the baggage allowance in weight or quantity • No fee applies for non-standard items if the passenger is able to carry the baggage on board and if the item is permitted on board (see list). • If the military member has more baggage than the authorized allowance (in weight or quantity), the member must carry the baggage. • CHECKED BAGGAGE Active and veteran members of Canadian Forces. Civilian employees • Retired and current Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are entitled to extra baggage allowance. This exemption does not extend to family members of the Military. • Applicable to personal travel or as part of a military assignment. • Members must present a military identification card.

Checked Baggage Allowance • No fees applicable for additional baggage. The number of additional items is unlimited. • No fees for items up to 32 kg (70 lbs.). • No fee applicable for non-standard items that are part of the articles accepted (refer to list) in our baggage cars (canoes, kayaks, bicycles, etc.) . *Please note some items require 48hr notice. • As a safety measure for our employees, we do not accept baggage weighing more than 32 kg (70 lbs.). The passenger always has the option of bringing the overweight item on board, as long as the member does not require the assistance of an agent. The member also has the option of spreading the weight in more than one baggage.

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